From Clam Flats to Clam Shacks: The Clamming Industry in Essex
Essex, Massachusetts
- Credit: Woodman's of Essex
Visitors to Essex, Massachusetts, may come to paddle the Essex River, browse the many antiques shops, or learn about nineteenth-century shipbuilding. But very few of them will go home without eating a fried clam. Chubby Woodman created the first fried clam in Essex in 1916, and clamming remains a vibrant industry today, touching almost everyone in the community, whether they eat, dig, cook, or sell clams, or operate businesses that benefit from the presence of clam-seeking tourists. This project brings together Historic New England and the Woodman family to preserve the evolution of the local clamming industry. A short, documentary-style film featuring historic photos, oral histories, and film footage will illustrate the importance of the clamming industry to Essex residents, local culture, the local economy, and the Great Marsh ecosystem.
For more information, e-mail community engagement at Historic New England.
